MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry has offered an apology (of course she did) to Mitt Romney and his family for apparently mocking the fact that he has a black grandchild.

In a segment called “Caption That!” Harris-Perry showed a family portrait of the former presidential hopeful with his large family. What was funny about it, according to Harris-Perry, was Romney’s infant grandchild, Kieran. The adopted African-American baby rested on Romney’s right knee, while another grandchild sat on his left knee.

After showing the picture to the show’s panelists, Harris-Perry invited comments. Guest panelist Pia Glenn was the first to speak up. “One of these things is not like the others! One of these things just isn’t the same,” she said. To really drive the point home, she added, “And that little baby, front and center, would be the one.”

Harris-Perry, who herself is black, then added her thoughts. “My goal is that in 2040, the biggest thing of the year will be the wedding between Kieran Romney and North West,” the celebrity daughter of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.

And finally, another panelist added that the picture “really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party.”

Ironically, Harris-Perry goes into the commercial break by introducing the upcoming segment titled, “Hey, was that racist?”

Harris-Perry Backpedals, Apologizes

Harris-Perry was quick to offer an apology in a series of tweets after the segment aired.

The first statement, tweeted at 8:17 this morning, reads, “I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family. #MHPapology”

In the tweets that followed, she explained that she felt familiarity with the Romney family, as she herself was a black child born into a large, white Mormon family. She also extended her apology to any other families built on “loving transracial adoptions.”

Here’s her full, five-tweet apology:

I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family. #MHPapology

— Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) December 31, 2013

 

I work by guiding principle that those who offend do not have the right to tell those they hurt that they r wrong for hurting. #MHPapology

— Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) December 31, 2013

 

Therefore, while I meant no offense, I want to immediately apologize to the Romney family for hurting them. #MHPapology

— Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) December 31, 2013

 

As black child born into large white Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family pic & never meant to suggest otherwise. #MHPapology

— Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) December 31, 2013

 

I apologize to all families built on loving transracial adoptions who feel I degraded their lives or choices. #MHPapology

— Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) December 31, 2013